Event Description

What is a parent’s reward for raising smart, self-reliant and competent children? It might be Child Protective Services pounding on your door, threatening to take your children away. Recent news items show CPS lurching from one extreme to another—on one hand removing children from good, loving homes (i.e. “7-year-old boy removed from Ohio home when parents reject ADHD diagnosis”) while on the other hand failing to rescue children in jeopardy (i.e. “17-month-old Samaj Crosby found dead inside Joliet home”). What is going on with the child welfare system? Why is it so broken? Where is the accountability? What rights do families have? Who is advocating for justice for children and parents?

Our June guest speaker will be Diane Redleaf, Founder and Legal Director of The Family Defense Center. The Family Defense Center is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advocate justice for families in the child welfare system. They advocate for families who need help the most: families threatened with losing their children to foster care. Nothing is more painful for a child than to be taken from the only parents he or she knows. Yet, child protection systems throughout America frequently remove children from parents as a first resort, not a last resort.

Every parent and grandparent should know their rights and how to protect their family from the heavy hand of too much government intervention. Any family can be the victim of a false, harassing, or misguided anonymous Hotline call to CPS. Families everywhere can support the work of the Family Defense Center. Bring friends, family and neighbors to hear this important presentation.

As always, our "a la carte" breakfast items will be available for purchase.